NY May 15, 2025

 I arrived yesterday but just now I'm getting caught up on the blog. I made a very last-minute decision to take a very early flight yesterday morning so that I could see a show last night and I made it with about five minutes to spare.🤪 I took a 5 AM flight so I stayed at a hotel by the airport the night before but got very little sleep. I arrived at LaGuardia around 5 o'clock. Got to the hotel about 615 and was able to dump my bags and leave in time to get to the 7:00 show. But it was worth all of it!

 I met up with Jackie and we saw Schmigadoon which has swept the Tony nominations. It was over the top fantastic! I'm so happy I made the effort. There were so many references to every Broadway musical I've ever seen or done.  Some references were just a phrase of music. Sometimes it was a line Or a character being like one we knew in musicals. For example, there was a character like Billy Bigelow, in carousel. Sometimes a song would start with the same phrase of a familiar show tune like something from the music man and then the song became totally different and it was a different song, but it tricked you into thinking it was going to be a song you knew.  

I assume not everyone in the audience got all the same innuendos but certainly a sophisticated Broadway audience who loved musicals would have gotten the references. Absolutely Hysterical!  The audience was through the roof in their enthusiasm. 

Last night I managed to sleep nearly 10 hours! So I felt quite normal today. Jackie went off to see a museum and Dianne  and I did a little shopping around Times Square. We met up with Jackie in time for dinner. The restaurant we thought we would go to ended up being closed and we didn't have time to search around so we went to Olive Garden. Actually, they had a small portion of eggplant Parmesan so I was a happy camper. Tonight Dianne and I went to a play that was a revival with new Tony nominations. It's called Becky Shaw. It was a dark comedy. The writing was hysterical. There were so many laugh out loud lines. But every character in the show was dysfunctional and they all pointed fingers at everybody else being dysfunctional, but usually did not recognize it in themselves. It was quite amusing, and I was shocked when it was intermission because it just seemed like 15 minutes to me. Same thing with the conclusion-- It was over too fast.

Tomorrow will be the first doubleheader.  We're off to a wonderful start!

😎

NY in May 2026

 Heading to NYC for 11 B'way shows!  May 14-22.

Thursday --Schmigadoon

Friday -- Becky Shaw

Saturday --Rocky horror  & Death of a salesman

Sunday --Giant &  Titanique

Monday   --the Green Room ( cabaret)

Tuesday  --Operation mincemeat

Wednesday  --Chess  & Proof

Thursday  --Spelling  bee & Every brilliant thing

Oct 26 NYC

 Our last day in the big apple. It's been a wonderful week. Our last Broadway show was the matinee of "just in time" with Jonathan Groff portraying and paying tribute to Bobby Darin. He was over the top fantastic.Not a play, but rather a series of songs with explanation of events in his life. Also, in the cast was Sarah Hyland who was on Modern Family. She has done more theatre than I had realized before. The venue was super-- the theatre in the square. We were sitting at the far end, right next to the stage. But it was a three-quarter audience.. this is such a super conclusion to a super week!

In the evening we saw a show with John Oliver & Seth Myers. There are 2500 seats in the Beacon theater and it was sold out!  They actually have added more nights because of the sellouts. Talk about a timely show. We expected it to be more of a conversation, but actually each of them just had a good long set of stand-up. They certainly made a few political comments, but it was a little different from what we expected. However They both were outstanding.

Sigh... The end of a really fun week.

( I still do not know why I am unable to post pictures. I have some fun pictures, but obviously they will have to wait.)

Oct 25 NY

 I started out the day with my back in spasm so fortunately, we didn't have anything scheduled until the afternoon show. Meds helped. 

 We had lunch in the hotel and then went to see a new show called Queen of Versailles, the story of Jackie Siegel, and the replica of Versailles  that she wanted built in Florida as their home. Kristin Chenoweth in the leading role. Our reaction overall was " meh."  Not bad... just not something to write home about. She was excellent though. Not sure how long this show will last. 

Next we had dinner at a French restaurant :Marseilles.  High quality food.  I had onion soup  --yum. 

Tonight's show was Buena Vista Social Club --about music in Cuba.  I loved the music.  The performers were super. I had high expectations of this show, and I was not disappointed.

Hard to believe just 1 more day here!  It's been an excellent week.  Theatre immersion therapy!  

Oct 24 Friday NY

 Started the day well as I Met Greg for brunch near Union Square.     We had a great conversation about theatre & I got some stories out of him about his dancing days. After brunch we walked thru the big farmers market at Union Square.  He then said he'd escort me to the drama bookshop where I wanted to get plays for us to read for the Players. We went via subway ( which I didn't want to do alone).  It was a really nice visit.  I always try to see him when I'm in town. Such a treat! 

At the bookshop I browsed many plays & musicals & ended up buying 20 for us to read.  So fun. 

Tonight our show was Death becomes her---quite an elaborately staged & costumed musical version based on the movie staring Megan Hilty.  A tour de force performance for the women especially. Very entertaining. 

Tomorrow & Sunday will be 2 shows a day.  Gotta rest up!

Oct 23 NYC

We woke up to great news:  the musicians union settled their contract & wont go on strike!  😅 whew!

Breakfast at Juniors then today's matinee. Off Broadway ( as Broadway doesn't have Thursday matinees. A tiny theatre a production sponsored by New Jersey repertory company and in partnership with the Susan Coleman breast cancer organization. The play was called "penpals " and was a two woman cast. They used scripts the entire time; it was truly readers theater. Each of them portrayed a woman who was a penpal starting in middle school until they were mature  adults. One woman lived in New York and the other in rural England. A lovely story of a friendship from afar. What was cool was that actors were Priscilla Lopez, an original performer in "a chorus line " and Pauletta Washington, the wife of Denzel!  It was really special to see them both.

Dinner  was at Sardi's-- always a  treat. 

Tonight's show was the Alicia Keyes musical "Hell's Kitchen ".  Outstanding choreography, music, and interesting  story. We were particularly tickled because Christopher Jackson was in it!  Besides playing his character and singing he played his own piano. Impressive!

Another super day! (I'm having trouble adding pix to blog so that will come later). 

Oct 22, 2025 NY

 This morning Dianne & I went to the Museum of Broadway.  Fantastic!'  So much to see I could've spent all day there!  I got ideas to consider for the Players!  

Our matinee today : Maybe Happy Ending which won the Tony for best musical & now I know why. Darren Criss originated the lead role but had left & was replaced by Andrew Barth Feldman whom we adored. Absolutely an original, clever and delightful show.  

We had dinner at  Junior's ( next to hotel) & tonight's show was Waiting for Godot starting Keanu Reeves & Alex Winter, who were of course superb. But ... I mean...Beckett... 🤪. I thought it would be more accessible seeing it as a mature adult rather than a student ...but not a lot more. But it was worth seeing for these actors. 

We're keeping fingers crossed that the musicians union does not go on strike while we're here. 🤞. They're still negotiating.  

So we're having a great time & look forward to lots more theatre!